


Across the Universe

by makkurataichou



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Altean prince Mikleo AU, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Slice of Life, less a Voltron AU and more a Voltron universe AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2018-11-08 17:26:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11086404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makkurataichou/pseuds/makkurataichou
Summary: The Academy, a neutral party in the war between the Galra and the rest of the universe, exists to train some of the best fighters and pilots it possibly can. But when Sorey, a recent arrival from Earth, meets Mikleo, the prince of the long-destroyed Altea, he ends up with more than he could have bargained for: A Huge Crush.A series of sequential and related drabbles/oneshots set in a universe overrun by the Galra.





	1. Introductions

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a little nervous about posting this, but I've also been looking forward to sharing this for a really, _really_ long time! A while ago I ended up drawing a Mikleo inspired by Allura's outfit, and after subsequent conversations with chim we ended up coming up with ideas for an Altean Prince Mikleo AU that I just couldn't resist writing!
> 
> As stated in the tags, this is more a Voltron universe AU than an actual Voltron AU, so there won't be any lions, paladins, etc––just some general themes pulled from the Voltron universe. I hope to make this a story that is accessible to people who aren't fans of Voltron too, so if there's ever anything that isn't clear, please do let me know!
> 
> Any feedback is always appreciated, and I hope you enjoy! <3

“Cadets.” Instructor Dezel’s voice rang out clearly through the halls of the Academy. “We have a new recruit joining us today.” 

A slender, pale figure stepped out from behind Dezel. White hair framed his face, with the exception of his bangs, which were pulled back and tucked behind his pointed ears. A gold circlet rested atop his forehead, and serene violet eyes surveyed the room carefully, intelligently. 

“This is prince Mikleo from the planet Altea,” Dezel introduced. “As we do with every cadet, I want you all to make him feel comfortable here.”

Whispers rang out amidst the hall, including statements like “that's what an Altean looks like?” and “I thought their planet was destroyed?” but the prince paid them no heed, his stone-faced expression unwavering as he stared at the back of the room.

“You're  _ drooling _ , Sorey.”

A sharp jab to Sorey’s side brought him back to his senses. He jolted, then turned his head to look at the offender, a sour expression on his face. Beside him, Rose was grinning.

“I wasn't drooling!” he told her defensively, rubbing his sore side.

Rose’s grin only grew wider. “Right. You were just ogling him like he's a juicy cut of meat _.  _ No drooling involved.”

Sorey groaned. “I just…” he sighed, turning his gaze back to Dezel and the prince. “I've never seen anyone so...so  _ beautiful,  _ you know?”

“Yeah, yeah, we all know you're a romantic, Sorey.” Rose waved her hand dismissively. “There's loads of beautiful people in the galaxy. You just haven't been up here long enough to see ‘em all.”

“Still.” Sorey leaned his head against his hand, cupping his cheek and sighing again. “Forget being from another planet, it's like he's from a completely different universe…”

Rose rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to speak. Just then, Dezel stomped his boot, making everyone fall silent.

“Alright, so who wants to be the lucky cadet to show Mikleo around?” he called. “Any volunteers?”

Sorey's arm shot up into the air, but not of his own accord. “Rose!” he hissed just as the redhead let go of his arm and clasped her hands behind her back, whistling innocently. He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath, then looked ahead only to find his gaze arrested by white and blue and gold and that  _ otherworldly shade of violet _ —

“Cadet Sorey.” Dezel’s voice was devoid of emotion as he nudged Mikleo forward with one arm, nearly bringing the two of them crashing together. “Be sure to introduce yourself. This works out well since the two of you are assigned to be roommates.”

Sorey gulped.  _ ‘Rooming with a prince? From Altea?!’ _ He wanted to hide his face in his hands. _ ‘I might as well just die in my sleep.’ _

Mikleo cleared his throat, getting Sorey’s attention. “I’m in your care, Sorey,” he said stiffly, and the brunet’s mind went blank at the sound of his name being spoken in a voice so gentle yet so firm.

“I-I, uh...yeah!” Sorey tried not to think about how dumb he probably looked while struggling to form a coherent sentence. “I’m happy to show you around, uh...your Highness?”

“...just Mikleo is fine,” came the reply. “I haven’t had much of a planet to rule over in a long time.”

Mikleo’s eyes were trained firmly downward as he spoke. Sorey frowned.

  _‘His people, his family, gone...I can’t even imagine what he’s been through…’_

“Well.” Dezel’s voice interrupted their lukewarm conversation. “Now that you’re both acquainted.” He turned to face the crowd of cadets. “You’re all dismissed. Lailah and I will expect to see you on the training deck at noon.”

The crowd dispersed, leaving Sorey and Mikleo facing each other silently while refusing to meet each other’s gaze. There was no tension between them, and yet Sorey felt like he had no idea what to say. Mikleo was the first Altean he had ever met...probably the  _ only _ Altean he would ever meet. He knew nothing about his personality, his past, what would and wouldn’t set him off. Sorey found himself playing with his earrings awkwardly, flicking them back and forth with his fingers.

“...can I ask why you have such strange ears?”

Mikleo’s voice, confused and surprisingly more hesitant than before, drew Sorey’s attention in more ways than one. “Excuse me?” he replied, giving Mikleo a funny look.

The prince frowned. “I've studied human physiology for many years, and I have to say, I've never seen anything about them having feathers for ears.” As if reaching a conclusion, his eyes grew wide. “Could it be that birds and humans were actually able to reproduce?”

Sorey inhaled sharply, taken aback. Several feet away from them, Rose burst out laughing.

“I'm...I'm not part  _ bird _ !!” Sorey spluttered, trying to keep himself from choking. “They're feather earrings!”

“Feathers?” Mikleo tilted his head. “Now that I think about it though, they actually look more like leaves—”

“I'm not part tree either!” he wheezed. “I made these before I left Earth, so I could remember the birds.”

“Remember them?”

He nodded, smiling wistfully. “They always looked like they were free to go wherever they wanted...I wanted to be like them for the longest time.” Then, he gave Mikleo a cheery grin. “So now I’m here! And I’m ready to explore the entire universe!”

Mikleo smiled back. “I look forward to joining you then,” he said, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “I've been out of touch with the rest of the world for a long time...as much as I enjoy reading about different planets and civilizations, there's nothing like seeing them in person.”

Sorey's heart swelled with happiness. “I agree!” he cried. “There are so many planets I've wanted to visit.” He paused, suddenly growing shy. “Altea included.”

The prince’s gaze turned solemn, and he turned his head to the side, gazing at a monitor in the distance and avoiding Sorey’s eyes. “There isn't much left, to be honest,” he sighed, clasping his hands together. “By the time I returned, my entire planet had already been reduced to a field of debris.”

Sorey froze. “I-I'm sorry…” he whispered. “I had no idea—I didn't realize it was that bad…”

Mikleo smiled faintly. “It’s alright. I hope to rebuild someday, even if my people can never come back. I still need to preserve my culture somehow.”

"I'll help you.”

Caught off-guard, Mikleo turned to face Sorey again. “We've just met, Sorey,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “How can you claim to commit to something so easily?”

Sorey blinked.  _ ‘Those eyes again...’ _

He shook his head. “I know I have no idea how long it would take or what I'd have to do to help. But—” He clenched his fists. “I could never let an entire culture just  _ die  _ like that.”  _ ‘Especially not Altea.’  _ “So I want to help...I'll do whatever I can when the time comes. I promise.”

“Then...I'll hold you to it,” Mikleo replied stiffly, but Sorey saw the gratitude in his gaze and in the way his shoulders slumped slightly as though a heavy burden had been lifted from his back. 

Sorey held out his fist. “This is an old Earth greeting,” he said with a grin. “Sometimes I use it when I make promises, too. We just nudge our fists together. It's easy!”

Mikleo placed a hand under his chin thoughtfully, contemplating Sorey's arm and making the brunet feel incredibly self-conscious. Then, he raised his other arm, but instead of bumping the front of his fist against Sorey’s, he hesitantly brought his arm around, softly bringing the backs of their fists together.

“Was...was that right?” he asked, meeting Sorey’s eyes.

Sorey couldn't help the blush that raced to his cheeks at how adorable Mikleo looked in that moment—shy, yet completely serious . “Y-yeah, that was perfect!” he managed to say, incapable of correcting the prince. “You're on your way to becoming a genuine human already!”

Mikleo laughed. “I hope not. I quite enjoy being Altean,” he said good-naturedly. Then, he suddenly glanced over Sorey’s shoulder.

“We only have a few hours before noon. Should we get going?” He shrugged. “The Academy is a big place, and I’d like to see as much of it as I can before we train.”

“O-of course!!” Sorey stood up straighter. “Uh, I could show you the cafeteria, or the holodeck...ah! You probably want to know where your room is too, right?”

“You mean  _ our _ room,” Mikleo corrected him, a faint smile still playing upon his lips. “You know the Academy better than I do, so I'll leave the final decision to you.”

“O-okay then.” Sorey tried to maintain his composure while still finding himself both awed and intimidated. “Let's go.”


	2. Roommates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorey shows Mikleo their shared room and desperately hopes that he won't be outed as a Huge Altea Nerd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another short one; the length of these chapters varies quite a bit, since this is more like a series than a sequential fic. A lot of chapters do tie together pretty closely though, like this one and the one before it, so I hope it's still enjoyable!
> 
> This is another AU I'm using as an excuse to completely geek out in various ways, so if I ever get too heavy-handed please do let me know!!

Sorey knew that his room was a mess. Having his own room meant he'd allowed himself to be lazy every now and then, so having a new roommate out of the blue was definitely nerve-wracking. But the clutter was the least of his worries. 

It was the volumes and volumes of Altean literature piled in the corner that made him more nervous than anything. 

To call himself a history buff would be an understatement. For as long as he could remember, Sorey had always been fascinated by other civilizations, on Earth as well as beyond it. The ones that interested him most, however, were those that had long since died out, leaving behind only traces of what they once had been. And Altea was one of them—his colony’s library had contained several books on Altean culture and architecture, and ever since reading about them, Sorey’s desire to learn more about their society had only grown.

Which was why having Mikleo as a roommate both excited and terrified him. There was so much he could learn, but there were also so many ways he could mess up. What if the books were all wrong? Would Mikleo be willing to discuss and confirm or deny any of his theories? And most importantly: how could he bring up the subject without basically saying “so I know your people were wiped out, but since you're alive, you can answer my questions, right?"

Sorey shivered involuntarily as he approached his room, Mikleo trailing a few feet behind him. When the prince set his bag down on the hallway floor, Sorey felt himself beginning to sweat bullets, and he rummaged through his pockets hurriedly before pulling out his keycard.

“Uh, you'll have to excuse the mess,” he managed to say while glancing over his shoulder, placing the key against the card reader and waiting for it to light up with an affirmative  _ ding _ . 

The door slid open and the lights clicked on. Sorey glanced around at the clothes draped across the floor and bed, suddenly hyper aware of what a total slob he was. He also saw his collection sitting in its usual corner, partially hidden by his bed, and he clenched his fists ever so slightly, hoping that Mikleo wouldn’t notice the books if they were all the way back there—

“Is that…the history of Altea?”

Sorey flinched.  _ ‘Of course it had to be the first thing he noticed.’ _

“Uh, yeah,” he replied. “I read these when I was on Earth, and I found them so interesting that I had to bring them all with me...”

But Mikleo didn’t seem to be listening as he walked closer to the pile, sitting down cross-legged on the floor and taking a book in his hands. He ran two fingers across the cover before opening it up, seemingly enthralled.

“Uh, Mikleo? Is everything okay—”

Mikleo turned his head, and to his horror, Sorey saw tears welling up in the prince’s eyes.

“I-I'm sorry!” he stammered defensively. “I got them from my colony, but if they were stolen or anything I'll return—”

Mikleo shook his head, tears clinging to his long, pale eyelashes. “ _ Thank you _ , Sorey. I'm not upset, I'm…” He paused briefly to think. “Grateful.”

Hesitantly, Sorey moved to sit next to him. Mikleo gently thumbed through the book, holding it like it would turn to dust in his hands if he wasn't careful.

“I haven't seen these books in  _ years _ ,” he sighed. “After the Galra attacked, I never thought I'd see them again.” He picked up another book and let out a short laugh. “This one’s a bedtime story.”

Sorey rested his head against his palm, tilting his head so he could watch Mikleo as he read. The quiet intensity with which he gazed at the books made Sorey’s heart flutter.

“You can consider them yours, then,” he offered. “We can take them with us when you find a way to rebuild Altea someday.”

Mikleo shook his head. “No, Sorey, these belong to you now. I can already see that you treasure them.”

Then, he suddenly grew bashful. “I-if you'd like, I could share my collection of human literature with you...it's not as vast, but—”

Sorey's jaw dropped. “You...have a collection of human books? What kinds?!”

Growing even redder, Mikleo counted off his fingers while simultaneously trying to hide his face. “Um...ancient history...seven wonders...some, er, romance novels—”

“Please let me see them!” Sorey shouted, suddenly leaning forward and nearly collapsing in the process. “I...couldn't read human history books back home…I'd really love to see them!”

The prince tilted his head, his embarrassment replaced by confusion. “Didn't you say you grew up on Earth? Did you not have access to human literature?”

Sorey scratched his cheek. “It's complicated,” he replied dismissively. “The colony never had human history books. Just books on other races.”

“...interesting,” Mikleo said, mostly to himself, as he closed the book in his hands and set it down. “So you own books about Altea, and I have books about Earth. Between us we have quite a collection, don't we?”

He glanced up at Sorey, smiling faintly. “To be quite honest, I’ve always found your planet fascinating, Sorey. I have a lot to ask you...that is, if you don't mind answering my questions.”

“O-of course not!” Sorey shook his head. “As long as you answer my questions about Altea, too.” He gave Mikleo a confident grin. “I’ve been reading about Altea all my life—I’m sure I have  _ way _ more to ask than you do!”

Mikleo’s smile grew wider, accepting his challenge. “We’ll see about that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In AUs like this where Sorey and Mikleo don't grow up together, I love really playing up the fact that they'd probably bond over literature and/or a mutual rivalry of sorts.


	3. Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorey and Mikleo have their first training session together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a backstock of chapters written up for this AU, but the longer they get the smaller my supply grows...at this rate I may have to start splitting chapters up into parts OTL
> 
> Anyway, this one's pretty short too, but I hope you all enjoy! Do let me know if you have any questions/feedback!

“Alright everyone, it's time to begin!”

Their commander and combat instructor, Lailah, clapped her hands together, effectively getting everyone's attention. “Today you will be sparring without weapons,” she continued, walking around the room. “Sometimes you will find yourself in situations where you need to fight unarmed, and hand-to-hand combat is the best way to gauge your opponent’s strength.”

Rose elbowed Sorey in the side, grinning faintly at him. “I’m willing to find a different sparring partner just this once if you want to go hand-to-hand with Prince Charming,” she whispered, adding a wink for good measure.

Sorey stiffened and gave her a look, but he couldn't stop the blush that forced its way onto his face regardless. “He looks so...uh... _ princely _ though,” he whispered back. “I'm scared I’d end up hurting him.”

“You? Hurt  _ him _ ?” She scoffed. “We clearly have different impressions of him. The way he holds himself, I think he'd be able to throw you across the room if he wanted to.”

At the thought of that, Sorey flinched. The idea of Mikleo throwing him across the room was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time, and a part of him wanted to entertain it for a little longer—

“Cadet Sorey!”

He stood up straighter. Lailah approached him with a knowing smile on her face. “You’ll be in group B, on this side of the room.” She gestured to her left, then turned around to address the rest of the room. “The rest of you are in group A. Pair up into your usual groups, and the winners of each match will continue to face each other until each group has just one member left. Then the winners will spar.”

Sorey saw Mikleo open his mouth to speak before the words even came out. “Commander, I don’t have a partner.”

“Then you win your match by default. Wait until the others are done, and then we’ll pair you off.”

He nodded and went to lean against a wall in the back, crossing his arms and casting his gaze across the room. When he met Sorey’s eyes, he lifted a hand and tilted his head in acknowledgement, and Sorey felt his cheeks burning for the hundredth time that day.

Beside him, Rose shook her head. “Let’s just get this over with, lover boy.”

* * *

Several minutes later, Sorey wiped his brow against the back of his hand. He’d aced every match he’d fought in, but although he should’ve been proud of himself, all he felt was disappointment. Rose was by far the best fighter in their class and the only person who could ever beat him, but instead of getting a chance to beat her in a fair fight, she’d feigned a sprained ankle so he would win by default. Now she was waving at him from the corner, clearly more excited about this arrangement than he was, and all he could do was run a hand through his hair in frustration.

‘Why didn’t you just fight me?’ he mouthed to her, trying to look as angry and betrayed as he felt. Rose simply placed her hands behind her head and grinned wickedly, nodding in his direction but focusing her gaze on something behind his shoulder.

Surprised, Sorey turned around only to find Mikleo standing across from him, a soft yet determined smile on his face. He’d discarded his cloak and formal garb from earlier, leaving him in a blue and gold variant of the traditional cadets’ uniform. Sorey distantly wondered whether he could request his own custom uniform too—perhaps one that matched his earrings—but before he could think on it further, Mikleo took a single step forward and his mind went completely blank.

“It's just the two of us, then?” he asked, sounding almost cocky as he got into a fighting stance.

Sorey looked him over before getting into a stance of his own. “Looks like it,” he replied, smiling faintly. “Let's do this, Mikleo.”

A few moments passed as they studied each other carefully. Then, Sorey lunged forward, and Mikleo's eyes narrowed as he sidestepped the punch easily, bringing his hands up to deal a disarming blow—

But Sorey was prepared for this. His first thrust had been a feint in order to gauge his opponent’s reaction, and as he'd expected, Mikleo had swerved out of the way to avoid contact. Because Sorey hadn't thrown all of his weight into his first attack, however, it gave him more than enough time to swivel around and aim a second punch at Mikleo’s shoulder.

The prince blocked it with ease, but his frown grew deeper. Sorey aimed jab after jab at Mikleo's chest while simultaneously watching for his weaknesses, and it was all Mikleo could do to maintain his defensive stance even while he was being pushed back. Sorey grinned; Mikleo was surprisingly easy to read in combat, and he wondered whether the prince had trained with ranged weapons instead—

Suddenly, as if having found an open spot, Mikleo ducked, causing Sorey to stumble forward slightly. In the time it took him to recover, Sorey found himself bringing his hands up to block a kick aimed for his head. The side of Mikleo's boot barely grazed his cheek, and he swallowed.  _ ‘That one would've hurt.’ _

Mikleo's stare grew more defiant, and he brought his leg down rapidly. Sorey’s hands were still grasping the heel and sole of Mikleo’s boot, and so he was forced to his knees as a result. Before he could begin to think of a counterattack, Mikleo towered over him with ease and an attack position to match, effectively ending their fight.

Sorey pulled his hands off Mikleo's leg and smiled. It had been a long time since anyone aside from Rose had beaten him, and although he could mostly chalk this one up to being distracted, he could tell that Mikleo would continue to be a formidable opponent, even in the future.

“Good fight, Mikleo—” he began to say only to be stopped by a hand in his face. Confused, he met the prince’s gaze, only to see anger and fear swirling within violet eyes. It looked almost as though he wanted to continue beating Sorey into the ground, and the brunet flinched at the thought. 

“Why…?” The prince choked out, taking a step back and clenching his fists at his sides. “Why do you fight like a Galra?!”

Sorey's eyes grew wide. “Fight like a—”

“You know exactly what I mean,” he spat. “The Galra took everything from me...my home, my family...and just when I thought I'd found someone who cared about bringing them back…” His eyes flashed dangerously. “Was it just a ruse to get me to warm up to you so you could stab me in the back?!”

Sorey remained frozen in place. He had no words of comfort to offer such an incensed Mikleo...at this point, he didn't know if anything he said would make things better or much,  _ much _ worse.

He swallowed. “My colony was occupied by the Galra,” he explained. “A lot of colonies on Earth were…”

The prince’s eyes grew wide. “Occupied? They  _ occupied _ Earth? Why...why didn’t they destroy it like they did Altea?”

“Because humans were never a threat to them.”

Both boys turned to look at Rose, who approached them with her hands behind her head. “From their perspective, we probably looked like a weak species worth conquering,” she added. “We humans will give up without a fight, if that’s what it takes to survive.” 

She met Mikleo’s gaze evenly. “But Altea was strong, right? I’ve read about it in Sorey’s books—you guys had technology powerful enough to help you conquer the universe  _ yourselves  _ if you’d wanted to. And the Empire probably saw that as a threat.”

“It’s unfair though.”

Sorey’s voice, soft yet firm, cut through Rose’s logic like a knife. “It isn’t fair that they’d wipe out one planet, then conquer another,” he added. “I’m sure they had their reasons, but Mikleo still has the right to be upset.”

He gave Mikleo an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, Mikleo. I can’t stop fighting like this, because it’s how I was trained...but I’m still on your side, I swear.”

Mikleo’s frown softened. “I…” he began, slowly unclenching his fists. “I apologize for jumping to conclusions,” he finally breathed, addressing the whole room before meeting Lailah’s gaze. “And for disrupting your class, Commander. It was irresponsible of me.”

“No harm done,” Lailah replied, giving him a sympathetic smile. “Besides, you and Sorey gave this entire class a wonderful combat demonstration. I’m sure everyone has a lot to learn from the two of you!”

Both he and Sorey flushed in unison, bowing their heads in embarrassment. Sorey raised his chin and glanced at Mikleo out of the corner of his eye. The prince’s eyes were trained on Lailah as she continued her lesson, but when he felt Sorey’s gaze on him, Mikleo turned his head slightly and gave the brunet a weak, hesitant smile. It was clear he still felt guilty for reacting so harshly, and Sorey gave him a supportive grin of acknowledgement, hoping it would be enough to make him feel better.

To Sorey’s surprise, Mikleo’s smile grew wider; almost competitive. He crossed his arms and turned to face Lailah again, but the grin on his lips never wavered, making Sorey’s heart skip a beat with excitement.

Finally, he'd met his match.


	4. Loghrin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorey, Mikleo, and Rose go on their first recon mission to the Galra-occupied Earth colony, Loghrin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't been writing a lot lately, so here's a reserve chapter I've been looking forward to sharing for a while! It's a little longer than the others, so I hope you all enjoy!

The town of Loghrin was located in the midst of a rocky desert. After growing up in a higher altitude environment and subsequently spending most of his time in space, Sorey found the humid heat stifling—he longed to slip out of his suit and go looking for a lake or stream.

But he couldn't afford to be distracted; after all, they were here on a mission. Lailah had assigned them to deliver supplies to Loghrin—one of the Galra Empire’s more recent conquests—and also to gather intel on the environment while they were there. The Academy was a neutral party in the conflict with the Galra, keeping out of the Empire’s way as much as it could, but it was no surprise that over eighty percent of its graduates usually went on to join armies and fight the Empire head-on.

“Rose, why doesn’t the Empire ever attack us up at the Academy?” Sorey asked, binoculars pressed to his face as he kept his gaze trained on the town from his vantage point, crouched in the shade underneath their shuttle.

“We do too much for them, that's why,” she replied from inside the shuttle. “They rely on us to bring them supplies, like we are now.”

Sorey pursed his lips. “But why do we help them if all they want is to enslave the whole universe?”

Another pause. “Because they spare us in exchange.” He heard her let out a short laugh and felt it echo through the walls. “It's a pretty messed up symbiosis, isn't it? The Academy’s forces could rival the Galra army in numbers alone, but numbers aren't enough to defeat them. So we just sit there and hope we can train someone to do it for us.”

“...hm.” Sorey lowered his binoculars. The Empire allowing the Academy to exist, but not sending any of their forces to join or observe it...it didn't really make sense despite Rose’s explanation, and somehow he hadn't ever thought to question it until now. What did the Empire have to gain from allowing the Academy to operate independently? Especially considering their recon missions took place when the armies were away...there was clearly a tension between the Empire and the Academy that he wouldn’t want to touch with a ten foot pole.

Sorey shook his head and leaned back to rest against the cool metal of the ship. When he heard the sound of engines in the distance, he picked up his binoculars and peered through them before banging against the ship three times to get Rose’s attention.

“The warships are leaving, by the way,” he told her.

“Ack!” He heard Rose let out a shout, followed by the sound of something heavy falling over. “Sorey, why didn't you say so sooner?”

“They just fired up their engines!” he shot back. “There was no way to tell until now!”

“Yeah, yeah, just stand by,” came the flustered response. Sorey sighed and pushed himself off the ground, stepping out of the shade and preparing himself for Rose’s next order. 

Instead, he heard the sound of boots clanking against metal, followed by the sound of Mikleo clearing his throat from atop the shuttle's ramp.

“How do I look?” he asked, sounding incredibly embarrassed.

Sorey turned to look up at Mikleo, and his eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets. He’d read about the Alteans’ ability to shapeshift, but seeing it first-hand was an experience he’d never thought he would get to have. Gone were the pointed ears and porcelain skin—Mikleo’s cheeks were flushed as he stared Sorey down evenly while walking down the ramp, the purple hue absent from his pupils but still present in his irises. Sorey almost missed the normal colour of his eyes...purple on purple so hypnotic that he usually couldn't bring himself to look away…

“Sorey. Focus.” Mikleo’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. “Do I look human enough to you?”

Without missing a beat, Sorey shook his head. “No way, Mikleo. You could never pass for a human.”

Offended, Mikleo placed his hands on his hips. “Oh? And why’s that?”

“You're too pretty,” Sorey stated matter-of-factly. Then, he clamped his mouth shut, realizing what he had said. 

_ ‘Why do things like that slip out whenever I'm with him?!’  _ Sorey wanted to return to the ship just so he could smack his head against the metal walls of his room.  _ ‘I have no self-control!!’ _

Then, the prince chuckled, drawing Sorey's attention back to him. “I forget how honest humans can be,” he said, and Sorey did not miss the faint blush that painted his cheeks before he added, “maybe I should've modeled my appearance on you, instead.”

It took a moment for Mikleo’s statement to sink in, but once it did, Sorey’s eyes grew wide. “W-what's that supposed to mean?” he whined, reaching forward to punch Mikleo in the arm only for the prince to jump out of his reach, still laughing.

“On second thought, maybe not. The bird leaves would've made me look out of place anyway.”

“I  _ told _ you, they're feather earrings!! And they come off!!”

“Considering I've seen you wear them to bed, I find that hard to believe.”

“Mikleooo!!”

“Alright, alright, you two lovebirds need to cut it out. We’re on a mission right now, remember?”

Upon hearing Rose’s voice, the two of them sprang apart until they were several feet away from each other, both blushing furiously. The redhead walked down the ramp, tugging a large cart filled with supplies behind her. It was suspended a few feet in the air, and Sorey raised an eyebrow, confused. Rose noticed his expression as she set the handle down.

“Anti-grav tech,” she explained simply. “You really grew up in a backwater town, didn't you?”

Not even waiting for a response, she turned to face Mikleo, placing a hand under her chin as she scrutinized him more closely.

“Hmm, not bad at all!” she exclaimed a few moments later. “You'll definitely pass for human here, especially since most of the outposts have Galra guards. They usually can’t tell the difference.”

At that, Sorey frowned. “There are some colonies without Galra guards?”

“Yeah, some colonies on Earth have human guards instead.” Rose turned to him, placing her free hand on her hip. “Didn't you come from one of those colonies yourself?”

“W-what?”

“Your training! You realize they were trying to train you so you could eventually join their army, right?” She waved her hand dismissively. “I guess they hit you guys pretty late, though, if they couldn't condition you well enough to turn you into willing weapons.”

“I…” Sorey's eyes grew wide, and he turned to look at Mikleo, who seemed equally shocked. “I never realized that was what they wanted, I swear…”

The redhead let out a short laugh. “The Galra want one thing for the most part, Sorey, and that's to control the universe. You should know by now that they'll do whatever it takes to make that happen.”

“Even if it means erasing the history of another race and replacing it with their own,” Mikleo added, clenching his fists. “It's ruthless and cruel.” 

Sorey looked down at his feet, suddenly more interested in staring at the dirt caking his boots than looking either of his comrades in the eye. “I wish...I'd done more to help everyone, then. When I was back in Camlann. But instead I just  _ left _ .”

Mikleo gave him a sympathetic look. “You’re human too, Sorey. There's not much you  _ could  _ have done.” 

“I…”

Before Sorey could say another word, Rose stuck out a hand, motioning for the two of them to be quiet. They knelt behind a nearby rock formation, hidden from view as a Galran clad in uniform approached the sentry post in the distance.

“Change of guard,” Rose whispered. “We should be able to take the supplies through to the settlement once they're done. Just follow my lead and let me do the talking, okay?”

Sorey and Mikleo nodded in unison. Once the previous guard had left, the three of them emerged from behind the rock and began their descent down the hill. Sorey still found himself unable and unwilling to look away from the ground as they walked.

“—rey. Sorey.”

He snapped his head up to look at Mikleo. Despite his more human features, the concern on Mikleo’s face and in his eyes looked no different than usual when he asked, “what's bothering you?”

“I just…” Sorey sighed. “It makes more sense now. Why we only had books on the Galra empire. Why humans and Galra lived under different conditions.” He bit his lip. “I wish I'd known more, back then...though I don't think I would've been able to do much. Everyone...kind of pushed me away after our village was captured.”

“You became an outcast,” Mikleo stated matter-of-factly.

Sorey bowed his head lower. As much as he loved Camlann, he no longer wanted to think about the days he had spent there after the Galra had taken over...days spent reading in solitude after being ostracized by humans and Galra alike. He wondered if Mikleo would ask why, and his lower lip trembled at the thought of having to explain the months he’d spent alone, wishing he been born any place but in Camlann— 

Suddenly, Sorey felt a jab to his shoulder, and saw Mikleo pull back, a faint smile on his face.

“Must've been those scrawny arms,” he said good-naturedly, his optimistic tone taking Sorey by surprise. “Can't help the humans  _ or _ fight for the Galra with those.”

Despite himself, Sorey laughed, appreciating the attempt made to cheer him up. “I didn't need strong arms to pilot a ship, though,” he retorted. “I guess they learned that the hard way once I left.”

Mikleo shrugged. “Their loss.”

* * *

As expected, Rose turned out to be the best person to handle the conversation with the guard. Sorey was still downcast from their conversation earlier, while Mikleo could only stare at the ground with a scowl on his face, trying his best to prevent his deep-rooted resentment of the Galra from taking over.

Once the supplies were inspected, they made their way inside—it was not a large colony, but there was something different about it that Sorey noticed immediately. It was more heavily integrated, with humans and Galra actually living in a combined society, rather than humans being treated like military resources like Rose had implied earlier.

Mikleo seemed to notice this as well, and he crossed his arms, unimpressed. “I don't know what they're thinking,” he said with a frown, “but they can't just barge into a settlement, take over half the homes, and expect the people to be happy about it.”

Rose set down the handle of the cart. “Actually, it looks like half of these are newly built,” she observed. “Maybe these colonists were different somehow."

“They still have army inspections, though,” Sorey said with a frown. “Maybe there's something here we aren't seeing—”

He cut himself off when he felt a small pair of arms wrap around his leg. Sorey glanced down to see the wide, yellow eyes of a Galran child looking up at home excitedly.

“Play?” the boy asked with a wide grin on his face.

Sorey looked up to gauge his comrades’ reactions—Rose just raised an eyebrow, while Mikleo was visibly fuming, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. Behind them, however, he saw that rest of the colony had stopped in their tracks and turned to look at the three of them. Both humans and Galrans alike looked on silently, unmoving, but there was fear in their eyes and tension in their limbs, and as the moments passed Sorey gradually began to understand why.

_ ‘All of these people are civilians. They don't know anything about the Academy either...just like we don't know anything about this colony,’ _ Sorey realized.  _ ‘It's not like we’re the enemy, but even a neutral party floating up in space where they can't see it is pretty scary...’ _

He kneeled down to the boy’s level, giving him an enthusiastic smile, just as he would've given any of his comrades back at the Academy. “We have to get going now,” he said, briefly gesturing towards Rose and Mikleo. “Maybe next time, okay?”

The child glanced past his shoulder to look at the two of them before shrinking back slightly. “You stay,” he whispered timidly. “Those two scary...you not scary.”

Sorey let out a nervous laugh. “That's because I'm smiling, right? Next time, I'll make sure they smile too,” he promised, reaching out to ruffle the boy’s hair before standing up to his full height. “We’ll definitely be back to bring you more supplies.”

The other residents nodded slowly one by one. Behind him, he felt Mikleo inch closer to his shoulder.

“Let's get out of here,” the prince muttered under his breath so only Sorey could hear it. “I don't want to be around the Galra longer than necessary.”

Sorey swallowed. “Yeah...we should go.”

* * *

As they made their way back up the rocky slope to get to their shuttle, Sorey continued to think about the boy from earlier...about his acceptance and subsequent fear. He wondered what the boy had managed to see that the rest of the colony had not.

Almost as if echoing his thoughts, Mikleo spoke. “That child might've seen through my disguise,” he said softly. “Maybe that's why he was afraid of us and not of you, Sorey.”

“Admit it,  _ Your Highness _ ,” Rose teased. “You were just as scared of that kid as he was of you.”

“I wasn’t scared,” he replied weakly, too tired to be more adamant. “I was just...intimidated. They're still the enemy, you know.”

“The enemy…”

They glanced up at Sorey; he was standing at the top of the hill, looking back at the town of Loghrin in the distance. “Who really  _ is _ the enemy, anyway?” he mused out loud. “Is it the entire Galra Empire? Is it just the army?” He frowned. “Or maybe we’re not supposed to  _ have _ enemies because we're members of the Academy?”

Rose sighed before walking up to him and clapping him on the back. “That idealistic world view might get you killed someday, Sorey,” she said firmly. “It doesn't matter who we think the enemy is, as long as we don't let our guard down.”

Then, she walked past him and made her way towards their shuttle. Sorey’s shoulders slumped. He hadn’t been with the Academy long, but he was already starting to see how tiny and sheltered his world view had been before he’d left.

He felt Mikleo come up beside him and nudge him with his shoulder. “She’s right, you know,” came his quiet declaration a few moments later. “You can’t let your guard down, even for a second, no matter where you are.”

“But Mikleo, it was an ordinary town. With  _ children _ .”

“We trusted them once. “ Mikleo clenched his fists. “That’s how the Galra got us. My people were complacent, and we paid for it.”

Sorey wanted to protest, but he held back, knowing that his words would fall on deaf ears. Rose and Mikleo had travelled the universe...they had seen things, experienced struggles that he could hardly begin to imagine. Being an outcast in his own colony had been difficult, but it was surely nothing compared to what Rose had endured when she had lost her family—an incident she still refused to talk about. And he couldn’t even think of comparing it with everything Mikleo had been through. The two of them had every reason to be wary and mistrustful of the Galra.

And yet, he couldn't help but wonder if there was anything he could do to change their minds.


	5. Holodeck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikleo discovers the Academy's holodeck and learns that he isn't the only one who uses it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a _huge_ Star Trek nerd so I had to drop a holodeck chapter in here at some point /SHOT
> 
> This is a short one but I hope you all enjoy!!

As soon as Mikleo discovered the holodeck, he decided that it was his favourite place in the Academy. The idea of being able to visit any place in the universe...to experience anything his mind could conjure up...with all the reading Mikleo had done in his isolation, the possibilities were near-endless. He visited it every other day without fail, sitting atop the icy peaks of Naia, lazing beneath the stars on Astra 7, even sometimes choosing a moon at random.

But no matter what, he would not choose Altea. He was too afraid of what he would see...too afraid to even check the database for fear that it contained no information on his home. Instead, he chose planets that resembled its ecosystem, hoping that someday he would find one that was habitable enough to rebuild.

One day, however, he showed up at his usual time only to see that the holodeck was already occupied. To his surprise, when he peeked through the window, he saw Sorey pacing about a dusty ruin on what looked like it could be Earth, holding a projection of a book in his hand. Curious, he slid the door open, and Sorey stopped in his tracks, looking like he'd been caught red-handed in the middle of a cookie theft.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude,” he said sincerely, shoulders slumping with relief when he saw Sorey’s expression go from shocked to calm in a matter of seconds. “I was just interested in your simulation.”

“Ah, Mount Mabinogio?” Sorey shut his fake book with a smile. “It was in one of my favorite books growing up, so I thought I'd try pulling it up.”

“It was another place on Earth you couldn't visit?”

Sorey shook his head. “Nope. It was so close to Camlann, too...imagine the treasures it must've held!”

Unable to resist, Mikleo smirked. “So you're only interested in visiting ruins to loot them?”

The brunet gave him a slightly put-out look. “Of course not! Historical discoveries are treasures too!” He gestured towards the projections on the walls. “Just look at this place—it's filled with murals and carvings that haven't even been dated yet!”

Mikleo gave the room a once-over. It was completely different from any historical artifacts he had ever seen on Altea. “It's all so...primitive, and yet so intricate,” he wondered out loud. “What did humans living in this age aim to accomplish by carving these?”

“That's what I want to find out,” Sorey replied, invigorated by Mikleo's piqued interest. “I could never do this back home, but if I sit down and look at the projections, and pull up some of the books in the holodeck database, I might be able to learn a lot.”

The prince raised an eyebrow. “And what exactly will that accomplish?”

“Not much, to be honest.”

Sorey’s sincere response caught Mikleo off-guard. “Then...why?”

“Because it's fun,” came the simple answer, accompanied by a bright smile. “Because I need something to do that isn't training? Maybe that's a better answer.”

“Your first answer was good enough,” Mikleo huffed, sitting down on a nearby rock. “Well, I’m content to stay and watch,” he said. “That is, if you’re okay with me staying,” he added quickly, suddenly very aware of the fact that he was cutting into Sorey’s personal time.

“Of course you can stay!” Sorey grinned, and it was brighter than the sunbeams filtering through the simulated ruin. “In fact, you can join me, too! If Earth ruins bore you, we could explore another planet instead?”

Mikleo laughed. “You already know I find Earth fascinating,” he replied, a little embarrassed. “I don’t know how much I can help, but I’ll do my best.”

The brunet’s smile grew wider. “After that, let’s go somewhere you’d like to go,” he insisted, walking over to the prince and holding out his hand. “You, me, and the entire universe at our fingertips.”

Sorey’s eyes sparkled like stars and his cheeks were flushed, and Mikleo felt his face heat up at the sight. He didn’t know what encouraged Sorey to be so forward—maybe here, in an simulation surrounded by Earth history, Sorey was completely in his element. Whatever it was, Mikleo found that he quite liked this side of Sorey, confident and forward but still charming in his very own, very _human_ way.

Shaking his head lightly, he took Sorey’s hand, allowing the brunet to pull him to his feet. “Alright,” he said, eyes twinkling with mirth. “I’ll take you to my favourite lookout spots, just as long as you aren’t afraid of heights.”

“Heights? Nah!” Sorey rolled his shoulders back, puffing his chest out with pride. “My village was on a mountain, so I can handle anything you’ve got.”

Mikleo hid his smile behind his fingertips. “I’ll take your word for that.”

An hour later, at the edge of a high cliff on the planet Boreas, Mikleo turned to see Sorey staring at the wind-swept fields beneath them with wide-eyed wonder, and he felt his heart inexplicably flutter at the sight of his closest friend’s smile.


	6. Homesick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorey misses home. Mikleo does what he can to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is actually one of the first chapters I wrote so I thought I'd post it before the urge to revise hit too hard /)w(\
> 
> I feel like my writing style has changed quite a bit since I wrote this, but I can't be sure...either way, I hope you all enjoy this short chapter!

“You've been quiet for too long, Sorey.”

“Hm?” A slightly dazed Sorey glanced up from the floor, making eye contact with a disgruntled Mikleo. The prince’s hands were on his hips, and he leaned forward slightly, trying to inspect his human roommate more closely.

“You  _ look _ fine, outwardly at least,” Mikleo observed out loud. “But something’s clearly wrong. You're usually asking me questions, or eating something, or even reading your books or doing simulations. Now you're just...sitting there.”

Sorey blinked twice, then lowered his gaze again.

“Rose is worried about you too, you know. So are Lailah and Dezel.”

“Hm…”

“You're going to fail your aptitude tests at this rate.”

“Mm.”

“What about your dream to become a pilot? Are you just going to give that up? What about Altea? What about  _ Earth? _ ”

At the mention of his home planet, Sorey's shoulders stiffened. This did not go unnoticed by Mikleo, and he took a few steps further until he was standing right beside his friend’s bed.

“...you're homesick, aren't you?”

Like a deer caught in headlights, Sorey's head snapped up to look at Mikleo. The prince didn't miss the sparkle of unshed tears in Sorey’s eyes—with a quiet sigh, he kneeled down on the floor and placed a hand on Sorey’s, which was resting atop his knee.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked hesitantly. “I know how hard it can be, Sorey...I get homesick too.”

The brunet sniffed. “Your planet was destroyed, Mikleo. You have an actual reason to be homesick.”

“You don't need a reason, Sorey, and you can't make comparisons like that,” Mikleo said in a gentle yet firm voice. “Earth and Altea are different...we’re both different. We have our own emotions to deal with.”

Sorey shook his head, burying his face in his hands. “We've been to Earth so many times, though.” he mumbled. “I don't know why I still get like this.”

“When you miss home, you miss home, Sorey. That's just how it is.”

“I wish it was easier,” came the muffled reply. “Every time we come back from a mission on Earth, it hurts more.”

Mikleo paused to think for a moment. “If I shapeshifted into an Earth creature...would that help at all?” he offered, pulling his hand back and resting it in his lap.

Sorey gave him an incredulous look. “You can do that?!”

Mikleo huffed. “I can certainly try. Here.”

He closed his eyes and began to concentrate. To Sorey’s shock, he began to shrink slightly, his entire body starting to sprout white-blue fur. A pair of ears grew atop his head, and within minutes, he had transformed into a very large cat, still watching Sorey with the same calm, concerned expression.

“I've heard cats are a source of comfort for many humans. Will this do?” he asked, and Sorey nearly fell off the bed at the sound of Mikleo’s voice coming from a creature that looked so unlike him.

“How...how did you…” Sorey hesitantly reached forward and touched his arm—it was soft, softer even than an actual cat’s fur. “I didn't know Alteans could shapeshift to  _ this _ extent.”

Mikleo scrunched up his nose, his whiskers twitching. “I was alone for a long time. I had plenty of practice and not much else to do.”

“Then...is it ok if I…”

“Go ahead, Sorey.” Mikleo gave him a grin, showing off his pointed teeth. “I won't bite or scratch, I promise.”

Slowly, Sorey placed a hand on Mikleo’s head, scratching him gently behind the ears. “Mikleo...you're so soft.”

“D-don't make this weirder than it already is.”

Mikleo curled up into a ball, wrapping his tail around himself. Sorey continued to pet him slowly, smiling when Mikleo instinctively leaned into his touch. He felt a vibration beneath his fingers and realized that Mikleo was  _ purring _ , but elected not to say anything for fear of ruining the moment. Instead, he closed his eyes and lay down next to Mikleo. Being this close to him was oddly reassuring—his body was warm, and Sorey found himself wondering whether his normal form was just as comfortable to lay next to—

He stopped his thoughts there, lazily shaking his head. No, he would not think about Mikleo that way. Mikleo was his friend...his roommate...who also happened to be exceptionally attractive. Sure, he had spent most of his time fawning over the prince during their first few weeks together. But more importantly, he had learned that despite Mikleo’s untrusting nature and intense hatred for the Galra, he was a kind and understanding person at his core. By being his friend and staying by his side, Mikleo had showed Sorey kindness that he hadn’t known in a long time...kindness that he would never be able to repay.

With a sad sigh, Sorey tucked his arms closer to his chest, suppressing the urge to wrap his arms around Mikleo. The last thing he wanted to do was to make things uncomfortable between them.

“I'm sorry if I fall asleep on you,” he breathed instead, punctuating his words with a short yawn.

He felt a chuckle against his side, and as he began to drift off, he almost swore he felt Mikleo shift just a little closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~_coughs_ this is the furriest thing I've ever written uh I mean what~~


	7. Science (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikleo gets a message from an unexpected source, along with an invitation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been looking forward to posting this part for a while now!! This section got so long I had to split it into two parts, but hopefully it won't take me too long to post the second half! I just need to make sure I have enough reserve chapters to post when I haven't been writing much ^_^;
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter!!

Mikleo had no family or friends in the universe outside of the Academy. Everyone he had ever known had passed away in the assault on Altea, or had gradually drifted out of contact with him several years prior. Which is why it shocked him when he found a message sitting in his inbox one day, addressed directly to him.

“Sorey, what do you make of this?” he asked, spinning around in his chair and addressing his roommate. “Should I open it?”

The boy looked up from his place on the floor. “Who’s it from?” he asked, pushing himself off the ground and coming up behind Mikleo to read the message on the screen. As he took in the words, his eyes grew wide.

“Mikleo!” he exclaimed, eyes lighting up with wonder. “This is an invitation to visit a Balmera!!”

Surprised, Mikleo glanced up at him. “Balmeras are still around?” he asked. “Even after the Galra...”

He trailed off, but Sorey didn’t seem to notice—there were practically stars in his eyes as he met Mikleo’s inquiring gaze. “Yeah!” he said with a sharp nod. “I heard the Empire captured a few, but I’d heard from Commander Lailah that there was one in our quadrant that was unoccupied.” 

_ A Balmera _ . Mikleo had never visited one himself, but they were said to be creatures the size of planets, their bodies capable of sustaining life and producing crystals that could be used as incredibly powerful energy sources. The people of Altea had held Balmeras in great regard, and he knew that his mother had often visited the one closest to their home, always returning with crystals large and pure enough to power their technology for centuries.

Sorey placed a hand under his chin. “I didn’t know there were still Balmerans living on it, though.”

Mikleo shrugged. “This message doesn't have to be from Balmerans...it could really be from anyone,” he said softly. “It could even be a trap set by the Galra to lure me there—”

Sorey placed a hand on his shoulder, effectively cutting him off. “You need to trust people more!” he said with a wide smile. “If you want, I can try to trace the message and make sure it’s real. Or we could show it to the Commander and see if she has any information.”

“I think the second option would be less likely to get us expelled,” Mikleo replied with a wry smile, crossing his arms across his chest.

He couldn’t deny the fact that the first option would definitely be more interesting...but he decided to keep that thought to himself.

* * *

“I think it would be wonderful if you paid the Balmera a visit!” Lailah exclaimed as she tapped away on her keyboard, her eyes still firmly trained on her screen. “The one in our quadrant is quite lovely! Though I haven't been since the Empire conquered the entire galaxy—”

“But Commander, how do I know that message isn’t a lie?” Mikleo interrupted. “And how do they know about me at all? I don’t know anyone in this quadrant…”

She cast him a sidelong glance, the words on the screen barely reflecting off her glasses. “Do you remember who it was from?”

Mikleo placed a hand under his chin. “I think it was...Rayfalke Labs?”

He expected Lailah to shrug it off and suggest that they pay a visit anyway. He did  _ not _ , however, expect her to let out a shout and jump to her feet as quickly as she did.

“Edna!” Lailah turned around, and to both Sorey and Mikleo’s surprise, she was pouting. “She doesn’t contact me for decades, and now she’s trying to steal you behind my back!”

Mikleo raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by  _ steal _ —”

She interrupted him by clearing her throat a little too loudly for comfort. “N-never mind that!” she said quickly. “Edna and her brother have been conducting research on the Balmera’s crystals. I'm sure they could really use your help!”

Then, she leaned forward with her hands clasped together. “Also, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d also like to ask for a favour.”

“What is it, Commander?”

She gestured towards her multiple holographic screens. “This technology is kept running by crystals from the Balmera. Over the past few decades, we’ve been forced to trade with the Empire to obtain them. But their methods are...less than savoury.”

Sorey grimaced. “They chip it directly off the Balmera, right? Doesn’t that hurt it? It’s a living creature!”

She nodded, frowning slightly. “Only Alteans have the power to extract crystals from the Balmera without hurting it...I’m sure Edna and Eizen realize this as well, and they'll probably have their own questions for you...but if you could do this one thing for us, the Academy would be in your debt.”

Mikleo considered it for a long moment. One crystal was usually powerful enough to power a ship for several centuries, but if the Academy needed to have them replaced every few decades, it was clear that the crystals they had received so far were incredibly weak.

He smiled. “I'll do it. The Academy is my home now, and I'll help however I can.” He paused. “But I also have a favour to ask for in return.”

“What is it?”

He gestured towards Sorey, who was leaning against the back wall, listening carefully. “I’d like permission for Sorey to come with me.”

At his words, the brunet jolted upright. “W-what? Me?!”

Mikleo turned to him and nodded. “You were the one who suggested I go in the first place. And I saw how excited you were when you read the invitation.” He grinned. “You want to go even more than I do, don't you?”

Sorey swallowed. “Uh...I've always wanted to,” he admitted shyly, “but I didn't think the Balmerans would appreciate anyone visiting who wasn't Altean...”

Lailah bit her lip, placing a hand under her chin thoughtfully. “The two of them can be quite untrusting, especially when it comes to outsiders…unless…”

She glanced between the two boys with a twinkle in her eye. “Here’s an idea!” she offered, clapping her hands together with a knowing smile.

Sorry and Mikleo turned to look at each other, sharing a look of concern. Something told them that they'd soon be regretting this.

* * *

Hardly an hour had passed since they’d left the Academy, and Mikleo was already regretting this.

“Me and my big mouth…” he muttered as he steered the shuttle, his cheeks still red from Lailah’s earlier suggestion. He was glad the light of the monitors and the darkness of the cabin skewed the lighting, or Sorey would easily be able to see how embarrassed he was.

“So, uh…” he heard Sorey say from over by the navigation console. “The Balmerans value strong bonds, huh?”

Mikleo licked his lips. “Yeah...sounds like it.”

“And we couldn't have passed just as friends...but is it really necessary for us to be—”

“Married, yes,”  Mikleo cut in, suddenly no longer sure how he would feel if he let Sorey finish that sentence. “Lailah said they'd probably trust you if we said we were married.”

“...mm.”

The uncertainty in Sorey's voice was obvious. The air in the shuttle was thick with awkwardness. Mikleo didn't quite understand; after all, the two of them had been roommates for months now. They were close friends by now... _ best _ friends, in fact, and best friends could laugh off any situation no matter how tough or ridiculous it seemed to be.

So why was this particular situation so difficult to laugh off?

He turned around to look at Sorey and saw that the brunet’s eyes were fixed on the screen before him. He appeared to be deep in thought, one hand under his chin, his mouth drawn into a small pout. The closer Mikleo looked, the more he wanted to believe that Sorey was blushing too, even as the human busied himself with the console, the green of his eyes looking closer to pale aquamarine in the light of the screen—

“Mikleo? Is something wrong?”

The prince caught himself with a start, jerking upright in his seat. “Nothing!” he insisted loudly before lowering his voice, embarrassed. “Just...lost in thought.”

Sorey raised an eyebrow, but said nothing more. Mikleo crossed his arms and turned back to his own console to make sure they were still on course. Forcing himself to think of anything other than Sorey's eyes, he cleared his throat. “How far are we from the Balmera?” he asked.

“We’re almost within its gravity field,” Sorey replied. “I'll establish a comm link once we’re within range, but you can probably take over from the autopilot now.”

Mikleo nodded and flipped a switch, turning control over to him. A few seconds later, a set of coordinates popped up on his screen.

“Those are the coordinates for the landing pad,” Sorey told Mikleo before he even had a chance to ask. “You can punch them in once we get permission to land.”

Surprised, Mikleo nodded again, slower this time. “Thanks, Sorey. I have to admit, you’re much better prepared than I am.”

“Only the best for you, dear,” came the teasing response. Mikleo tried to ignore the way his heart jumped at those words, but he brushed the feeling off quickly in favour of maneuvering the ship towards their destination. As they broke through a layer of clouds and entered the large creature’s atmosphere, Mikleo saw the surface of the Balmera for the first time.

In his long life, the prince had never quite seen anything like it. Large patches of turquoise crystals spanned the entire surface, riddled with cliffs and canyons and valleys stretching as far as the eye could see. And in the distance, suspended at the top of one such cliff, stood a tall stone tower attached to a single-storeyed building—their destination.

He turned around to see Sorey enraptured by the sight as well. His jaw had gone slack as he stared out the window, eyes wide with wonder and excitement. Mikleo couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

_ “—hello? Is anyone there? Wow, you’d think I was talking to a rock.” _

The unfamiliar voice snapped them both out of their daze. “Sorry, sorry!” Sorey exclaimed, fumbling with something on his console. “Okay, I’ve opened the comm link, we can send transmissions now, too.”

Mikleo faced forward and steeled himself, taking in a deep breath.

“My name is Mikleo, former prince of Altea,” he declared, “and I am here to visit the Balmera.”


	8. Science (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorey and Mikleo maintain their charade in order to earn the Balmerans’ trust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve been jumping between a lot of incomplete drafts lately and haven’t been able to finish any of them up, so I thought I’d post the second half of the previous chapter that I’ve been saving! You’ve all been so supportive thus far, and I really appreciate it—I’m so glad you all seem to enjoy reading this fic as much as I do writing it!!
> 
> Thank you so much, and I hope you all like this next chapter as well! <3

_‘I just flirted with him. Oh no, I can't believe I just flirted with him.’_

Sorey still didn't know what had given him the courage to say what he had. His mind had been prepared to thank Mikleo for the compliment, but instead he'd called Mikleo _dear_ and now all he wanted to do was disappear into space and live out the rest of his days in an abandoned crater where no one could find him.

He remained in a daze for several minutes, staring down at his console until he felt a hand grasping at his shoulder and an urgent voice calling his name. Sorey shook his head rapidly and lifted his gaze to find himself face to face with Mikleo.

“Get it together, Sorey!” Mikleo insisted, worry evident in his tight grip and furrowed brow, and Sorey felt a rush knowing that the concern was directed solely at him.

“S-sorry,” he stammered. “I was, uh...distracted by how beautiful the Balmera looked.”

It was a terrible, blatant lie, but somehow Mikleo took it anyway, his frown curving into a soft, relieved smile. “It _is_ beautiful, isn't it?” he said, turning slightly to look out the window. “I don't blame you for getting distracted.”

 _‘Actually, you're more beautiful than the Balmera,’_ Sorey thought before he could help himself. _‘Not that I’d ever say that out loud.’_

Mikleo didn't seem to notice the lovestruck expression on Sorey’s face; either that, or he still chalked it up to the Balmera. “We should make the most of this trip, then,” he said instead, turning around and making his way towards the door. “Shall we get going?”

When they finally stepped off the ramp several minutes later, Mikleo breathed deep and took off towards the laboratory door at the end of the launchpad. Sorey scrambled after him, fumbling with some equipment in his hands—after all, if he'd been given the opportunity to visit a Balmera, he wasn't about to leave without gathering some data on the growth of crystals first.

As they drew closer, the laboratory doors slid open to reveal two figures dressed in lab coats. One was significantly taller and stockier than the other, and his yellow eyes narrowed as he saw the two of them approaching. The other, smaller figure was surprisingly lean and frail-looking, quite unlike what Sorey had heard about Balmerans...but she still pierced the two of them with a serious, unwavering look that made Sorey more uncomfortable with every passing moment.

“So,” the smaller one said once the two of them were mere feet away, “you really _did_ bring a human with you.”

Her voice was just as cold in person as it had sounded over the comms, even after eliminating all the interference they'd picked up. Sorey stiffened, but Mikleo didn't waver even for a second.

“Yes,” the prince said, coming up beside Sorey and lacing their hands together. “I'm Mikleo, and this is Sorey. Thank you for having us.”

The sudden physical contact made Sorey’s face burn with embarrassment. He turned to look at Mikleo only to see that the prince was looking right back, a determined yet reassuring smile on his face. Taking in a quick breath, Sorey opened his mouth to speak—

“An Altean married to a human?” The taller Balmeran’s voice stopped him before he could say anything. “That's unusual. Of all things, why would you choose a _human_?”

“I-I chose him,” Sorey said quickly, throwing all caution to the wind and unclasping their hands only to wrap his now-free arm around Mikleo’s waist. If he and Mikleo intended to stay on the Balmera, he needed to sell their fake marriage for as long as he possibly could.

“The first time we met, I couldn't take my eyes off him,” he continued softly. “I wanted to get to know him better, and, uh...I really...just wanted to hold his hand and talk to him for hours and...”

Sorey trailed off and flinched inwardly, catching himself before he could go too far. That had been a little too honest. He was suddenly too scared to look at Mikleo for reassurance again...too afraid that he would find confusion and rejection in his friend’s eyes…

Suddenly, Mikleo let out a laugh, catching him off-guard. It was a genuine mirthful laugh with no malice or embarrassment in it, and it made Sorey's heart skip a beat.

“Sorey isn't the only romantic in this relationship, I assure you,” Mikleo said, leaning into Sorey's side ever so slightly. “We both have a lot in common, and I brought him along because his interest in the Balmera exceeded my own.”

He took one of Sorey's hands between his and raised it to his lips. The brunet’s eyes grew wide as Mikleo pressed a gentle kiss against the back of his hand.

“Isn’t that right, _dear?_ ” Mikleo added with a smirk, violet eyes twinkling at him with amusement.

Sorey almost combusted on the spot. Both Balmerans gagged in unison.

“Lailah was right about you two,” the shorter one groaned. “Well, as long as you can keep your hands off each other long enough to help us with our research and get her crystal, we can all leave here happy.”

“Leave?” Sorey managed to snap out of his lovesick haze long enough to tilt his head. “Don’t the two of you work here?”

The taller Balmeran nodded. “We work here, but we live underground. It’s more stable down there, and we can feel the vibrations of the Balmera better that way.”

Unable to help himself, Sorey grinned. “That’s what you use to tell whether it’s still healthy, right? That’s so cool!”

Sorey’s excited comment earned him a smirk from the taller Balmeran. “Not bad, human,” he said, stepping aside slightly. “My name is Eizen, and this is my sister Edna,” he added, gesturing to the girl, who was still frowning indignantly. “On behalf of the people of the Spiritcrest, welcome to Rayfalke Labs.”

* * *

The four of them stepped through the doors and into a control room. As soon as he saw what was on the screen, Sorey's jaw practically dropped to the floor. There were several charts measuring the Balmera’s crystal production over the years, as well as projections for how long the energy would last.

“How do you guys know all of this?” he breathed, circling the room while the smaller Balmeran watched him warily. “From all the books I read it didn't seem possible…”

“If you already know about our connection to the Balmera, it should be obvious,” Edna grunted. “My brother spent decades learning how to read different types of vibrations, and that's how we gathered all this data.”

Eizen gestured towards one of his graphs. “It’s just a few years’ worth of data, but if we keep going his way, we’ll know more about the Balmera than anyone else in the universe.”

“Was there a reason why you started doing this?” Sorey looked at him, completely starry-eyed. “Or was it just out of love for the Balmera?”

“A little bit of both,” Eizen replied, turning to face Mikleo instead. “I wanted a way to help Alteans like yourself tell how much power each crystal would give them. That way they would know how often to come back.”

He looked off to the side. “We were always on good terms with Altea. I'm...sorry for your loss.”

Sorey glanced over at Mikleo, trying to gauge his reaction. The prince was biting his lower lip, almost as if he was searching for the right words to say. Sorey felt guilty; he'd seen so many instructors and fellow cadets at the Academy greet Mikleo with passing apologies and condolences, seen how every word made the prince more and more aware of the fact that he was the last of his people. He could tell that Mikleo was struggling to respond, and so he made his way back across the room and took Mikleo’s hand in his own.

Mikleo glanced up at him, violet eyes wide and surprised at the sudden intimate contact. Sorey simply nodded slowly and gave the hand in his a reassuring squeeze. _‘We’re supposed to be married, remember?’_ he wanted to say, but he hoped the look in his eyes would be enough to convey the sentiment without giving away his real feelings.

Then, he felt Mikleo’s hand squeeze back. “Thank you,” the prince replied, his tone and stance nothing but professional, aside from the fact that his hand was still clasped with Sorey’s. “All I can do is keep Altea’s legacy alive by helping others, and that is why I am here today.”

Eizen nodded. “We’ll take you to the crystals. Edna and I have found a few that might meet your needs. The only question we have is—”

“You've never done this before, have you?”

Edna's deadpan words cut through the conversation like an icicle. She stared Mikleo down from her spot at the far end of the room. Mikleo stared right back, never hesitating for a second.

“It's true that I've never personally performed the ceremony,” he admitted firmly. “But as queen, my mother—”

“I wasn't asking about her, I was asking about you,” she shot back, raising an eyebrow. “Have you ever even _seen_ how the ceremony is performed? Do you have any idea what you're doing here?”

Her words made Mikleo’s shoulders slump. “I…” he began before trailing off, once again at a loss for words. Sorey saw the defeated look on his face and turned to face Edna himself, hand still tightly gripping Mikleo's.

“Mikleo may not know exactly what to do, but he has great instincts,” he shot back. “I know he'll figure out exactly what to do once he finds a crystal. He's Altean, after all.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And what if he hurts the Balmera, or the rest of our people?”

Sorey shook his head. “He won't let that happen, and neither will I. We both want to protect the Balmera and keep it safe from the Empire. If anything we do hurts it, we’ll stop immediately.”

Edna crossed her arms but said nothing more. Eizen looked over at her, then let out a resigned sigh.

“It's not like anything we could do would be much better,” he admitted. “To be honest, you're our best bet, too.”

Mikleo’s lower lip trembled slightly, and Sorey saw him clench his fists at his sides, but he remained the picture of grace nonetheless. “I won't let you or the Academy down,” he replied firmly. “Please take me to the crystal.”

The Balmerans shared a brief, meaningful look before nodding in unison. Eizen pushed a button on the console, and a door slid open to their far left.

“This way.”

* * *

If the crystals had looked beautiful as they'd broken through the Balmera’s atmosphere, they were far more breathtaking up close. The giant shards sticking out of the ground shone with a light unlike anything Sorey had seen before, and he nearly dropped his equipment in his hurry to put his data-gathering setup together.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Mikleo walking towards a crystal twice his size slowly, apprehensive. A light of recognition shone in the prince’s eyes—it was clear that the crystals reminded him of home, and Sorey felt his heart sink at the thought.

_‘I can't even imagine what he's going through right now.’_

“This one looks like it'll do.”

Mikleo's firm voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Edna and Eizen nodded and stepped back, the taller Balmeran already pulling out a device from his pocket to observe the crystal’s behaviour. Sorey scrambled to fiddle with his equipment, turning it on just as Mikleo placed his hand on the crystal’s surface.

Nothing happened at first. Sorey looked up at Mikleo to see his brow furrowed with concentration, beads of sweat running down the side of his face. He thought about going to the prince, about wrapping an arm around his shoulders to keep him upright. If Mikleo needed support, he wanted nothing more than to give it, even if the mere thought made his heart skip several beats.

Before he could follow that train of thought any longer, however, the surface beneath Mikleo's hand began to glow. Edna let out a soft grunt of surprise, while Eizen’s gaze remained firmly trained on the gauge in his hand. Sorey glanced over at his own screen and watched as the graphs measuring power level and seismic activity began to climb rapidly, the ground beneath them trembling as the crystal eased itself out of the surface of the Balmera, now three times larger than Mikleo. A low rumble was heard, and Sorey saw the prince let out a soft breath before taking his hand off the crystal, allowing it to come crashing to the ground.

Mikleo took a step back, admiring his handiwork. Then, he swayed on his feet, cloak billowing out behind him as he fell.

Sorey was at his side in an instant, catching him before he could hit the ground. Violet eyes stared into his, and Sorey felt his face heat up at the intensity of Mikleo's gaze. Almost as if to add fuel to the flame burning in the pit of Sorey’s stomach, a soft hand touched his cheek, and Mikleo looked up at him with the most tender gaze he'd ever received from anyone in his entire life.

“...thank you,” the prince whispered, lips barely moving as he spoke.

It was all Sorey could do just to smile back, covering Mikleo's hand with his own to keep it pressed there.

“No problem.”

* * *

“Thanks to you, we were able to gather some valuable data,” Eizen said, crossing his arms across his chest and offering Sorey and Mikleo a smile. “We owe you.”

Mikleo shook his head. “Thank you for allowing us to visit, and for the crystal. My, uh, husband and I—”

“Drop the act, princess,” Edna scoffed. “We both know the two of you aren't married.”

“W-what?” Mikleo turned bright red. “But, Commander Lailah...s-she…”

“—was probably trying to hook the two of you up.” She sighed. “Even after all these years, Lailah still has her weird hobbies.”

“We have nothing against humans,” Eizen added. “Now that we've earned each other's trust, you’re both welcome to visit any time.”

Mikleo cleared his throat, trying to stave off his blush. “Thank you. I'm sure Sorey will be happy to hear that as well.”

Almost as if on cue, he heard his name being called from atop their shuttle’s ramp. “Mikleo!” Sorey shouted, waving excitedly. “The crystal’s loaded up and ready to go! I couldn’t tell how _big_ this shuttle was until now!”

The prince let out a soft laugh. “I'll be right there,” he called back before turning to the Balmerans once again. “Please take care of yourselves.”

“You too. And keep an eye on that boy up there.” Edna’s expression was serious, her mouth drawn into a thin line. “He's holding back more than he cares to let on.”

A shiver ran down Mikleo's spine at her words. “I-I'll keep that in mind,” he said, turning and walking back up the ramp to the shuttle’s entrance.

As soon as he was inside, a warm body collided with his, wrapping arms around his shoulders and pulling him close. Mikleo flushed as his face was pressed into Sorey's shoulder.

“W-what's this for?!” he exclaimed, completely frozen in place.

“Just...thought you could use a hug after the crystal.” Sorey's words were muffled against his clothes. “You looked really sad, and then tired, and I...just thought you needed it.”

Mikleo's expression softened. “I'm okay,” he said softly, bringing his arms back up to wrap around Sorey, hiding his face in Sorey’s uniform shirt. “I'll be okay. But thank you.”

“Mm.”

They stood there in silence for a few minutes, neither of them willing to let go. A while later, Sorey pulled back, albeit hesitantly, and ran a shy hand through his hair.

“So? What was it like, extracting that crystal?” He grinned wide. “Did you get to speak to the Balmera?”

Mikleo nodded. “I did. It was a brief exchange, but meaningful.”

“What did it say?”

At that, the prince smiled softly. “It asked me to give my mother its regards.”


End file.
